Method of lining envelopes and machine



June 12, 1928. 1,673,606

H. JiTOEPFERT METHOD Of LINING ENVELOPES AND MACH INE Filed March 14,

14 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR M ATTORNEY June 12. 1928,

H. J TOEPFERT METHOD OF LINING ENVELOPES AND MACHINE June 12, 1928 1,673,606 H. 'J. TOEPFERT- i METHOD OF LINING ENVELOPES AND MACHINE v Filed March 14, "1927 14 tsheet 4 INVENTOR T0: erfj June 12. 1928. 1,673,606

H. J. TOEPFERT METHOD OF LINING ENVELOPES AND MACHINE Filed March 14, 1927 14 ets-Sheet 5 lHiii .iflllllllilllll ATTORN;

June 12, 1928. 1,673,606 I H. J. TOEPFERT METHQD. OF LINING ENVELOPES AND MACHINE I Filed March 14, 927 14 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR ATTORNEY June 12, 1928;

. H. J. TOEPFERT METHOD OF LINING ENVELOPES AND MACHINE Filed Marc :h 14, 1927 14 Sheets-Sheet e INVENTOR 44in ATTORNEY Jun: 12. 1928i- 1,673,606 H. J. TOEPFERT mnmon OF mums ENVELOPES Ann momma Filed March 14, 1927 14 Sheets- Sheet 9 Y'INVENTOR AMA ATTORNE .6 June .12. 1928.

H. J. TOEPF ERT METHOD OF LINING ENVELOPES AND MACHINE Filed March 14, 1927 4 Sh aets-Sheet. -10

' ,Zgyi? 612 7y 1.72 2222)? BY 6 6 'Jliiie 12, 1928.

1,673,606 H. J. TOEPFERT METHOD OF LINING ENVELOPES AND MACHINE Filed March 14, 1927 14 t h e l2 LINER CARRIER ROLLER ASSEMBLY TABLE SUCTION L'NERCARRER INVENTOR M ATIORNE June 12, 1928.

H. J. TOEPFERT METHOD OF LINING ENVELOPES AND MACHINE Filed March 14, 1927 14Sheets-Sheet 14 222 I SUCTION BOXES INVENTOR fierzryfEafljarf M ATTORNEY Patented June 12, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE.

HENRY J. TOEPFERT, OF HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T WHITE AND WYCKOFF MANUFACTURING COIw'IPANY, OF HOLYOKE. MASSACHUSETTS, A COR- IORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

METHOD OF LINING ENVELOPES AND MACHINE.

Application filed March 14, 1927.

The present invention relates broadly to paper fabricating mechanism, and more espe cially to a machine for attaching liners to envelope blanks at a high rate of speed.

The machine comprises the following groups of mechanism: envelope blank stack feeding mechanism; mucilage applying mechanism; devices to feed individual envelope blanks to an assembly table; mechanism to position the envelope blank on said assembly table; devices to support the stacks of liners on each side of the assembly table and to feed from alternate stacks to said assembly table thereby applying a liner from on stack to the envelope blank while a liner is being picked up from the other stack, and consequently, greatly increasing the speed of the machine; and pressure applyin mechanism to squeeze the attached blank and liner together as a. unitary article.

One of the objects oi the present invention is to facilitate the rapid and accurate feeding of envelope blanks by means of ball bearing tracks and traveling tapes, which grip the margins of the blank and permit the same to be carried rapidly forward without curling the edges, etc. due to wind resistance.

Another object of the present invention is the speeding up of the applying of liners to envelope blanks by providing a. plurality of stacks of blanks and then feeding liners in succession from said stacks.

A further object of the present invention is to facilitate the automatic maintenance of top level of the envelope blanks and the liner stacks and at the same time to provide a resilient cushion against which mechanism operating on said stacks may be resisted.

Other and further objects of the present invention will in part be obvious and. will in part be pointed out hereinafter in the specification following by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof; and throughout the several figures thereof like characters are used to represent like parts.

The disclosure herewith is a complete compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes however. it is realized, that Serial No. 175,166.

the inventions may be embodied in and practiced by constructions other than those specifically shown and described, and therefore, the present disclosure is to be understood as illustrative and not in the limiting sense.

Fig. l is a general plan view of the machine with a few parts broken away to illustrate the underlying structure.

Fig. 2 is a loi'lgitudinal horizontal sectional of portions of the machine.

Fig. 3 is an ele *ational side view of the machine.

Fig. 41 is an elevational front end View of the machine.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the envelope table and cement rolls.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of mechanism for operating the mucilagc applying head.

Fig 7 a plan view o't one of the liner stack j'lll (lGS.

Fig. 8 is an ele *ational view of the guide shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a detail view of the cam mechanism for operating the envelope blank car riage.

Fig. 10 is a detail view of the envelope blank feeding carriage.

F ig. 11 is an elevatioual view taken on line l111 of Fig. 10.

'12 is a view taken on line l212 of F 10.

Fig. 13 is a plan view of a modification ot a blank gripping device which may be used in the place of a suction blank shown in Figs. 10, 11. and 12.

Fig. at, is an clevational view of the construction shown in Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a detail view of the spring overthrow tor the gripper linger device shown in Figs. 13 and 14;.

Fig. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the machine taken on line 1616 01 Fig. 1.

17 is an enlarged detail view of the pneumatic valves for operating the pneuvalve is elosed suction is cut oil and the operating end of the line is vented to atmosphere.

Fig. 19 is a detail view of the cam for operating the positioning pins \vhieh position an envelope hlank upon the asseinhlv tahle.

Fig. 30 is: a vievv of the eam for eontrolline the suetion upon the hlanlt' holding openings through the asseinhly tahle.

Fig. 21 is a view of the cam l'or controllim the su tion upon the suction head for t'eedin; a hlank.

Fig. 22 is a vieiv ot the eam for eontrolline; the suetion upon one liner :arrier roller.

Fig. :3?) is a view of the tftllll tor eontrolline the suction upon the other liner 'arrier lollei.

Fig. it is a eurrier rollers.

Fig. 2.) is a ital seetion o'l in Fig. ll.

Figs. 26. ET. and In are respeetivel seetions upon section lines 26. it, and of Fig. 2;

Fig". 2!) is a diagrammatj." vievv illustratin; the pneumatie eontrols eon1prisin;;' valves. ete.. for the pnetunatie s vstem ot th maehine.

The ntaehine preferahl v' comprises a from main lrame l and a rear main t'rante 2. Power applied to the maehine (Figs. 1 and 4) through a helt wheel 1 loosely mounted on the main shaft 5 and adapted to he opera tivelv eonneetetl therewith to drive the same through a manually eontrolletl eluteh t'-. 'lhe power delivered to the, main shaft i distrihuted throughout the operating elements of the machine by suitable groups ot meehanism to eause the hlaulis and liners to he assembled and eeniented together as aunit.

plan view of one of the liner view eon'iprising a longitudh one end ol the roller shovsn .ltet'erritu: more ei peeiallv to Figs. '1 to 5 inelusive.: staelto't inverted envelope hlanlt's rests upon a shell T Whit-h is earried h a littttl s that lF secured to the upper end of a eolumn if) \vhieh is vertieallv slitlahle through a guiding sleeve 10. The guiding sleeve 1t) .irried h v an inverted U-shaped frame 1! tha is seeured to the under portion of the trout hed plate l2. linl; l-l- (Figs. 2 and t) is secured at one e id to the head 2-4 and at, the other end to a lever arm 15 \vhieh is pivoted upon the depending hraelqet It). An angle arm 17 is carried by the lever arm 15' and comprises a means of attachment for the long eoiled s nking 1S vvhieh anehoretl to the uu-(ler portion of the front hetl plate 12 and to the outer end of the angle iron it. This long" coil spring 18 comprises an eti'et tive eounter-halanee having" a relativelv long range of movement. and suhst:mtiall countenhalanees the weight of the shell 7,

the head it. and the vertiea eolumn El. tapered eoiled spring it) is set at its lower end on a l'otflilllg hase 2t) earried h v adjustahle support it on the d pending hraelcet l t and is provided with a guide rod 22 that is pivoted to the lever arm 1.7. The upper end ol' the tapered eoil spring lit hears against an adjustahle nut 2-1- on the gruide rod 22. This spring adjustahle to rounter-halan e the load ot the stael; ol' env lopes to h plaeed upon the shell T. The S11lit] ff lt-1it!tsion t'or 'he env lope shell and eonneeled parts:-

sueh that the shell' T Willi the stael; ot envelopes thereon is nornnllv tend d to he lil'tetl. that is. the :--tren 1'th ot' the springr 1S and 1!) and their ethaztive operation is sueh that the vei'tieal eolunm f i lslide up viardlv through the guiding sl eve it! unl-u-,-' this movement r strained. 'lh Ion spring lta' is a eonvenient means of applvin; additional spring t'orees: to the lev r arm 13 and arts merelvupplenu-ntal to th tapered spring 1!) so that h v using a heavi r tap r--i prin; if the lone eoil llllit1f may atllr pensed with although i more d lieat adju tment may he ohtained hy the use of the. two springs. The il'ront; ol the eolumn 5) is provided with a rael; oirat het t eth 12.; having the toes thereo't' toward the shell. 2t earrietl by the guiding sleeve it) normally en geuq'es th ratehet teeth in the rael; :25 and prewnts the springs. to. and if) tron: lit'tine' the envelope shelt and steel; ot' envelopes. thereon. 'lhis i rontr lled in manner as to he reteased at the prop r time (as hereinafter de.-'t'rihed) to permit th dog sueh linl; 21w

7 may he manually adjusted to plu 'e thereon a nev. stat-l; ot envelope hlanlcs alter the hlanlts on the shell have heen exhausted. downwartl pressure on the handle will 'ttti th do; it; to parover the teeth oi th ratehet 2."; therel'ore a tlo'-:.'n .":-.rd t -aent m is eti et d h v merelv depressimg' the handle. -'\n upward movement of the shell 1' may he aeeoinplishetl hv manually n'ith lravvine' the dog 2o from the ratt-ht-t teeth and. permitting the handle :7 to mote upwartlt-c zzgaint the aetion ()l tl1e:-" .11'it|' rt amt it A dog operating lever if? is t'astened upon a shall it l \vhielt passethrough the 'uidin sleeve to and is adapted to ttlll'l'itl'. the do; Qt). so that when the dog operating lever 2ft is oseillat'ed in a eonnterlot-lzvvise direetion (Fig. :2) dog :16 removed i'roni the t eth ot the ratehet' rat-l: 2 therehv permitting the springs 15% and l!) to raise vertieal eoluntn fl and the en't'elope shell T. This movement. however. is restrained h v the rement applying head and also hr the hlanl; teed devices as will he later explained. The

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tilt] lower end of the column J is provided with :1 rubber bumper 31 to take the shock when the stack 1;; exhausted.

illuci/aoe applying mechanism.

Referring to 1 to 5 inclu ive. the mucilage or cement applying mechanism comprises a mucilage tank 101 mounted upon the right side of the arch frame 102 (Fig. 1:). This tank carries the pick-up roll 101 which runs in a bath of mucilage or cement, the depth of which regulated by a gate operated by thumb screws 105. The pickup roll mounted upon shaft which carries a pinion 107 that cooperates with the drive pinion 108 on the shaft 109 rotatably mounted in bearings 110. This shaft 109 is provided with a belt pulley 111 whereby the shaft is driven by a belt 112 that leads from belt drive pulley 111 on the main shaft 5. This shaft 109 curries on its outer end a hand wheel 115 by means of which the pickup roll 101 may be manually turned when starting the machine, or for cleaning or other purposes, as is Jsired. A carriage (Figs. l and 5) comprisingsleeves 110 and 117 are mounted to slide upon guide rails 11S and 119 that are suspended from cross arms 120 and 121 secured to the under side of the arch frame 102. The supports extending' from the cross arms 120-121 to the guide rails 118-119 are adjustable so that the vertical height of the .Q'uide rails 118--1119 may be adjusted as desired. The sleeves 116 11'? are connected by a rod 1:21 upon which a tubular shaft 1:35 may have a slidablc and also a rotatable moven'ient. This tubular shaft provided near the central part with a contact ring 120 which is adapted to contact with an inclined cam face .de arm 1731011 one side of the envelope blank shelf 7 and with the oppositely inelincd face on guide arm 128 on the other side of the sh. 7. The tubular shaft carries two doctor rolls 129130 which are adapted to he brought in contact with the pick-up roll 10% and thereby be coated with cement so that the doctor rolls may transfer the cement to a suitable applicator head. The sleeves 110 117 are c m11-ccted by links jifl'll lii with arched arms .13%lthat a 'e secured to a side shaft- 130 nmunted on 11101011 side of the front main frame 1 (Figs. el and This side shaft 130 carries an arm 13? which is connected by link 1 98 to the universal joint 139 which is mounted on the belt crank 1 10 that carries an anti-friction roll 1 11. which is held in coutr 't with the cam 1&2 by mean; of the long coned spring 1-1 The cam 14- is mounted upon a gear 14%;? carried by stub shaft 1% and cooperatin; with the pinion 1-17 mounted on the main shaft 5. it will be observed that the gear 1 1% is twice the diameter of the makes two revolutions, the gear 1/15 will have made but one revolution; and the cam 1452 through the several connected levers, links. and arms will have caused the doctor roll carriage to have made but a single cycle o 1 o rations for two cycles of the main shaft 5.

A v rtically slidablc shaft 118 (Figs. 1, 4:, and (S) is mounted for vertical movement in the arch frame 102 and carries on its lower end a cross-bar 11-9 upon which are adjustably and re iovahly mounted applicator head members 151. These members are cons! noted to be replaced and adjustedto suit various types and sizes of envelope blanks and liners. The end f of these applicator head mci'ubers are adapted to he cement covcred and to transfe' the cement to the top blank X on the stack A of envelope blanks. The vertically slidable shaft 1418 carries a cross head 152 which prevents the shaft 111 from rotating and at the same time forms a connection for a link 1.51 (Fig. 0) which is secured at its other end to arm 155 upon the shaft- 150 (Fis The shaft 156 mounted in bcariir 157 supported by the arch frame 10:2 and at its left end (Fig. 1) carries a crankarm 158 to which a resilient pitman is connected. The resilient pitman comprises a loopedlinl; 159 which connected to crank arm 158 at one end and is provided with a sleeve 160 on the other end. A rod 161 extends through the sleeve 160 and carries upon its upper end a. nut 102 which is adapted to compress a spring 10 1 against the end of the sleeve 160. A stop collar 105 limits the slidable movement of the rod 161 in an upward direction through the sleeve 160. This rod 161 is connected to a contact arm 106 carrying anti-friction roller 16'? that is held in engagement with the cam 108 on the main shaft 5, by means of the spring 169. A guard cam surrounds a. portion of the com 168 and is spaced therefrom a distance substan tially equal to the diameter of the anti-friction roller 107. This portion of the cam is B70227; feednf mechanism.

The stack of envelope blanks A is definitely positioned on the shelf 1' by means guide posts 201 which contact with the front shoulders 202 on the envelope blanks and by rear guide posts 20-!- which contact with the pinion 1+1? so that when the main shaft rear shoulders 5205' or: the envelope blaullis of the stack A. These guide posts: 2tll-2tl-l are provided with slots through which still) holts 2th; extend to adjustahlv mount the guide posts upon the'front lied plate 12 so that th position oi the guide posts ma he changed when various sizes and types of envelope hlanlzs are used in the machine. The guide posts (Fig. extend Vertically along the shoulders ot' the hlanlqs in the stack and are Sltltltltltll). so tha' a stack of envelope h anlts is raised or lowered within these stationary guides as the machine operates. Since the top of the trout guides are slightly above the topmost hlanl; on tho stacl; A. it; is; nocossat v that the topmost hlanl-t he raised s ightly in order to ho itod through the machine.

A pair of suction boxes; 20? and 208 are mounted on a cross bar 209 in such manner as to leave a tree central space hotween the suction hoxcs. The L'I'OF-S har .Ztttlis carried upon vertical rods L1t -2ll which slide through hearings in the t'ront hed plate 12. The lower ends of those rods. are connected h another cross: har 212 to which a lever Ql-t (Fig. L) is connected n. link 21?. This lever is atta hed l conne ting rod Zlti to an oscillating arm 21? c: rr cing anti-'t'riction roller 219 that travels upon cam ill) secured to the main shaft A spring: 220 conty eted with the oscillating arm 21? holds the anti-Friction roller 215% in contaet with the cam 21.).

It will now he ohserved that: the ope 'ating dog; lever 25) For the dog which controls: tho t'eed ot the stack o'l envelope blanks. is held in contact with tho under portion of the CIHSF' har {212 h means ot the spring 22], so that as the cam 21$) operates. to raise and lower tho cross har 212 and the. connected mechanism. it also oscillates the dog; operating lo\'or 2!) to control the etieetive operation of the dog 26 on the rack 25. lVhen the cam 215') operates to raise the oscillating arm 2t? and thorehy lower the cross har 212, the dog: it) is withdrawn from the rack 25 so that the springs 18 and It] operate to raise the topmost lilanl; X tightlr against the suction hoxos 20T-Qtl9. This thrust of the springs '15 and ill on the auction hoxes iftiT loS is supported through the connecting parts directly upon the cam 21.). Ar; the cam eontinuos to rorolre. and the oscillating: arm turns counter-elorhwiso (Fiji. 13) therein; raising the eross-har Q12 and connected parts. the dog it; again comes into contact rith the rael: 25. However. it will he ohsorrer'l that the upward limit of movement ot the column 9 carrying the shelf 7 was limited hr the pressure of the topmost hlanl; .Y. in the stack A against the end surfac s of the suction hoxes 20T20S. This construction tliPltfOl't provides an automatic feed for the stack. which feed is controlled h the upper limit of movement allowed to the t p hlanl: on the stack. as distinguished from moehauisms ot the prior art wherein the height of the topmost lilank ot a sta k initiated or controlled lifting mechanism which operat d to raise the topmost hlank into the Zone ot' a 't'oelor tinuer that stopped raising action.

Alter the applicator head ltltllllltl'r' lolllfi'l have dost-ended against the topmost hlrtnlt'. and hare transt'errod cement thereto to t'orm cement spots lTl (Fig. 5) to the hlai lr. the suction liojqos 2l)T-i2 )8 descend to contact with the forward edge ot tho topmost hlanh and then the at'iplicator head rises. As the suction hoxes it)T-E2t 8 more d wnwardly toward the topmost hlanlt' on the sta h. suction is rendered etl'oetire through these hoxos h th cam 2212 (Fig. 25!) which operates on a su tion c ntrol \alro 'Jrll to open a line 225 leading to a suction main line 330. This t'nllr'es the ltim hlanli to ho tightly press d against the under surface oi the su tion hox s Qt 7--12tl$ Irv atmw horie pressure. The cam 219 (Fig. 12) now op rates to raise the suction hoxos 207- you and the staclt' ot hlanlas 'tollows the up \fttltl movement or" the suction hoxes a short distance until tho dog it) is permitted hy the upward moremont ot' the lever 21) to drop in hotwoen the teeth on the ratchet rack 25, at which time the upward moroment ol' the star-l: of hlanhs stops while the continued morement ol' the suction hoxes ZtJT-ZttH hits the trout edge ot the topmost lilzlttli trout the Fta h. When this occurs. th hlast, ot' air from the jet ZQT tlows honeath the raised hlank I\' and tends to tloat the same from the stael: As the suction hoxesl 2ttT-2()S continue to raise the topmost hlanli. this lilanl; hrought, against. the under side ot' a suction head 22o (Figs. 4-. l0. l3 and 29) which is provided with a suction conduit; that tenniuates in dovnnrardl v directed suetion openings. Prior to the contact of the.

raised sheet. with the suction head 228, a suction line 2:2!) (Fig. 29) has hoen opened hr a am Clo operatingupon a suction control valve 231 to connect this line with the main suction line 226. This causes the hlanl: to he pressed h a quick snap action against. the suction head 228. la the meantime. just; after the hlauk X has hoon til't'HFttl against the suction head :fits. the valve 224' controlline the suction hojies 2t T -2UH has hoen operated h cam 22; to cloro the suction line 225 and open the same to atmosphere I hrough a conduit 23; in the haul; of th valve ZQ-l.

The hlanh X has now hoen rais d t'rom the Slttt'li n and is held lrv the suction head 22R. This: suction head 228 i a mounted u on a carriage J ll: (Figs. 1. i 1] and t2) which is slidahlo longitudinally ot the ma-hine in guide rails i-lfi iil i. This carriage is connocted at each hy li 's EST- 18 with operating arm 23. ilt) Fttl l mounted up n the.

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cross shaft 241 which carries a connecting arm 242 connected to pitman link 244 (Figs. 1, 3, and 9). The cross shaft 141 also carries a spring arm to which a coiled spring 246 is attached and causes an anti-friction roll 24:7 to be tightly pressed against a cam 2-l8 which is mounted on the main shaft 5. The pitman link 2 A is provided with a bifurcated lower end 2&9 which slides over the main shaft 5 as a guide. Also, this pitman link 21 .4 is screw threaded where the upper end thereof enters the bifurcated end 249 in order that the zone of operations of the carriage 23-1; may be adjusted. The turning of the main shaft 5 rotates the cam 248 and through the connected parts causes the operating arms 239 240 to oscillate, thereby causing the carriage 234 to have a loingitudinally reciprocatory motion over the ma chine so that the suction head has a to and fro motion from over the stack of blanks to a position over the machine. As the carriage :lifil has moved rcarwardly. the suction head carries the blank X with it until the shoulders or edges of the blank have been drawn under curved ends 011* guide rails 250 251. These guide rails are provided with antifrietion balls These rails 250 and 251 provided with the curved front ends and carrying the anti-friction balls, are loated directly above conveyor tapes 254: and 255 which run over a driven conveyor roll and an idler conveyor roll 257, located about the center of the machine. Travelling tapes are also carried upon the driven conveyor roll and extend the full length of the machine to and over the driving tape roll 259. The lower run of the travelling tapes 258 travels over a tape tightener roll 266. The conveyor tapes 25d and are held up tightly against the anti-friction balls 22:32 by means of supporting plates 261262 which extend beneath the side rails 250-251.

As soon as the blank X ias been pulled into the machine beneath the anti-friction balls and above the conveyor tapes 26-: @135. the blanks are gripped betwi-ien these auti-frictiou balls and the conveyor tapes and are pulled forward rapidly. This light Qllpplll action holds the blanks flat with the eel al portion of the blanks held up by the travelling tapes 258 so that the blai 115 do not tend to curl up due to air friction against the front edge of the blanks. As soon as a blank has been gripped by the conveyor tapes, so that this conveyor mecha nisni has control of the movement of the blank. the cam 230 operates the valve 231 to shut or'f suction from the suction head and to open this line to atmosphere so that the blank is quickly released from the head 2 and moves forward without any obstruction. Th reciprocating movement of the carrisure is timed with the movement of the cement applicator heads 150151 and with the movement of the suction boxes 207-2OS so that each time a blank X is lifted from the stack A, this blank is caught by the suction head 228 and pulled into the machine. As soon as one blank is released, the carriage 234; again moves forward to pick up the next blank and pull it into the machine and so on.

Figs. 13, 14 and 15 disclose a modification wherein gripping mechanism is substituted for the suction head 228. This gripping mechanism comprises an anvil 264: attached to the front portion of the carriage 234land carrying a pair of overthrow gripper fingers 265266. These lingers are mounted upon a gripper shaft 267 and preferably each tinger is allowed a slight independent movement relatively to the shaft, so that when the shaft 267 has been turned sufficiently by the crank 268, link 269, and control arm 270 to cause an overthrow spring 271 to act, the gripper lingers are quickly snapped to either opened or closed position. The slight loose action permits each gripper finger to independently seat against the face of the anvil 26%. This construction is such that as the carriage 23% moves toward the front of the machine, the nose of the anvil 264 slides un der the forward edge of the sheet and the control arm 270 strikes a stop (not shown) which moves the arm to full line position (Fig. 1%) thereby shoving forward on the link 269 and oscillating the crank 268 to turn the shaft- 267 and permit the overthrow springs 271 to snap the gripper fingers closed as shown in Fig. 15. The movement of the carriage toward the rear of the machine causes the control arm '70 to strike a rear stop (not shown) and reverse the movement of the parts so that the shaft 267 is rotated to open the gripper fingers and to permit the blank to come under control of the conveyor tapes. In this mechanism. the movementof the carriage 234 must be slight ly faster than the movement of the conveyor tapes at the moment when the gripper tin gers are opened in order to enable the anvil nose to be pulled out from under the blank so that the blank may be fed forward. In the preferred form con'iprising the suction head 228, this difficulty is obviated because the sheet slides forward from the suction head 228 without i'neeting any obstruction and there is no part requiring to be quickly pulled out of the way of the forward travelling of the blank.

Blank positioning mechrmism.

The cement spotted or wet gummed blank X is carried rapidly through the machine by conveyor tapes 254 255 to an assembly ta ble 301. conveyor roll 257 is located adjacent the (Figs. 1, 2, and 29.) The idler Ill) front edge of the assembly table and the conveyor rails :25t)2ol terminate over the idler roller :25? so that the positive forward travel oi the blank X terminates before the assembly table is reached and the blank is *arried forward from thereon by momentum and by means of the travelling tapes 255 up-- on which the blank X rests. A pair of positioning pins ;}tJ; Jt)-l are adjustahly mounted upon carrying arms 23th) which are also adjustablv mounted on a pin operating shat't .ltlti in such manner that the posititiningpins an: extend upwardl through openings in the assembly table lltll into the path of the trout shouhh-is 24!: on the blank X. This deliuitel positions the blank over the tissenn l)l table and stops its 't'orward movement so that the tr:=.velling tapes 2.35 slide idly l e neath the blank in grooves or troughs in the assci'nlilv table 3301. The pin operating shaft iltlti carries a cranl: arm 307 which is connected bva link 308 with a lever 3th) 'arr ving an anti-friction roller llt) which is held in contact: with a cam 3171 b v means of a spring 612. The am 2311 is mounted upon a cross shaft 3LT carried by the I'PZU main :l'rame 2 and on the le'l't hand end (viewing the machine i'rom the front). tl sha'l't earries a s n'oel-zet wheel 2315 which is driven by a chain belt an; that runs over a driving sprocket 31? upon a main valve shaft; 316.

(Fig. 2.) This main valve shaft is driven from the main shaft h a chain drive 315) which extends over a small sprocket 3:20 on the main shaft 5 and a larger sprocket 321 on the main valve shaft 23. S.

llhen the am 311 is operated through the connected parts to cause the positioning pins 302 to stop a blank X over the assembly table. a cam 2322 (Figs. 1 and :29) is operative upon a table suction control valve 323 to open a table suction line 3:12-1- to the main suction line 2% thereby rendering suction etl'eetivc through four table suction openings 2325. The lilauk X therefore is now tightl lli SAtl against the assembly table by atmospheric pressure and is ready to receive the envelope liner.

The assembl table 101 is mounted to have a slight. vertical movement and is guided by depending slotted arms 326 (Fig. which slide over stub bolts 327 on vertical guide arms 32h. Springs 2329 (Fig 2) tend to lift the assembly table 2301 to its upper limit of movement.

The sha't't illicarriesv a sprocket 5130 (Figs. 2. Ill and 17) which connects h v drive chain Sill with sprocket 332 secured to gear 33". This gear ii-Sl meshes with a second gear 335 attached to sprocket 336 that 'arries a second drive chain 233T which leads to sprocket 23 35 on the shaft ol the tape driving roll 2.35). The drive just dci cribed transmits power from the main shaft 5 to the tape driving mechanism and changes the direction of rotation to meet the rctpnrements.

Line su per/s.

The present machine is provided with a double liner teed, that is, liners are arranged in stacks on each side of the longitudinal path of the envelope blank. and liners are led in alternation iii-st from the one stack and then it'rom the other to the continuous series of blanks positioned on the assembly table.

The support tor the stacks of liners is substantiall) the same i'or each stack and therefore so tar as parts are duplieate:-'. the will be given the same rel'crence characters for each stack. he liners are arranged in one st2tcl ,.ll at the left of the machine (Fig. l) and in another stack (T at the right of the machine. These stacks are respectively supported upon shelves til, which are mounted upon verticall movahle columns it): (Fig. lti) that are slidable through guiding sleeves: l-tll, which are, carried h v the rear main frame 2. The columns lllz are each provided with ratchet racks 1H5, with which holding pawls are adapted to cooperate. Coiled tapered springs lot; are mounted on rocking bases it)? carried upon brackets ios supported upon the rear main frame 2. These coiled springs cooperate with guide stems lot) that are attached to levers -l-lt) connected by links -11] to the supporting shelves lot. The effective strength of the springs is suliicient to overcome the weight oi the shelves lot and connected parts including the weight of the respective stacks ol' liners. so that these springs exert a pressure tending to move the stacks of liners. This pressure is resisted by the pawls referred to. engaging the racks 4-05. lawl levers ll: are tarried h v the guiding sleeves ltJ-l and release the pawls from the racks -ltJ5 so that the springs -lt)ti are free to lil't the stacks ol liners. The limit of this lilting action bv the springs 406 is determined h v liner holding pads -l 1-1. These pads are on the ends ol arms l 1.3 carried upon shal'ts llti which are provided with crank arms 417 that are connected by links 418 with bell cranks ilt) and 120. The bell crank lit) is mounted upon an oscillating thalt 421 and is connected ll Y a ll'itllSYtl'r't' link with the hell crank lit). so that as the oscillating shaft 421 is oscillated. movement is communicattal to the bell (fl'2llll 4-l9--l20 and this movement is such that as the liner holding pad on the right of the machine (Fig. 1(3) rises. the one on the let! descends. The shaft -l21 carries an upward- 1 extending arm til (dotted lines Fig. T) which is adapted to engage the left hand side pawl lever -ll2 to release the pawl from the rack 405 when the corresponding liner holding pad 414 has rea h d its limit of tin 

